A new start
by Istalindar
Summary: When the Doctor loses his grip on Rose, events spiral 9th Doctor


&

"No! Rose!" The Doctor leapt forward, but she fell anyway. His fingers slipped along hers.

"Love you." She whispered, before her grip on the platform diminished and she plummeted, down and down, towards the hot sea of molten metal below them.

"Rose!" Jack skidded to a halt at the edge of the platform, and looked back at the Doctor, who was crying, silent tears pouring down his face. There was a bright flash and the Doctor looked away. "Come on Doctor." Jack took his arm and led him away from the edge. The Doctor moved woodenly, and Jack pulled him along, trying to get him to speed up, away from the rising lava flows.

Jack bundled him into the TARDIS and shoved him to one side, copying all the routines he had seen the Doctor go through a zillion times, turning dials, flicking switches. Pumping that stupid pump Rose always made risque innuendos about.

Rose.

Jack pushed her to the back of his mind and continued to flick or turn anything that looked like it could be flicked or turned. When the TARDIS started shuddering Jack began to relax. The best thing about the bumpy ride that was characteristic of the TARDIS was it always let you know when it was moving.

Jack looked over to where he had left the Doctor and found him in exactly the same place, staring blankly into the distance. He sighed and walked over to him, and took him by the arm, leading him away from the main control room of the TARDIS. He guided the Doctor through the halls, towards the Doctor's bedroom.

The Doctor halted suddenly, and Jack nearly tripped on his feet. He looked around and sighed. They were outside Rose's bedroom.

"Come on." Jack said, tugging at the Doctor's arm. The Doctor shrugged him off, and Jack nearly went flying. He stared at the Doctor in shock at his almost unconscious strength.

"I took her away from home. She was only nineteen and I took her away from home." The Doctor muttered.

"She was twenty-one and if she wanted to go home she would have said. You know she would have." Jack pointed out.

"But I decided to take her!" the Doctor shouted, whirling on Jack. "I asked her to come with me! And when she refused me the first time, I asked her again! I've dragged her all over the universe and she keeps nearly dying, and its all my fault!"

"Nearly dying." Jack pointed out.

"She didn't nearly die today." The Doctor retorted. Jack was silenced. The Doctor pushed past him and stormed into his room, farther down the hall. When the door slammed Jack slumped against the wall, staring at Rose's door. She was gone. The bright light on the TARDIS was out.

Jack stepped forward and found himself knocking gently on her door before slipping inside. He shut the door behind him and leaned back against it, looking around.

Her room was a disaster. It looked like a bomb had gone off in her wardrobe. Clothes were strewn everywhere, hanging off the bedposts, the doors of the wardrobe, stacked on the floors and just about every other surface. Perhaps the only clothes-free space was the dresser, and that was strewn with makeup and perfume bottles from all over the universe. The Narcathi perfume from Aldrewena sat next to perfumes from Earth on the dresser, and eyeshadows in all shades of bronze, gold, brown, green and blue sat next to lipglosses in every shade of pink or red. Mascaras and eyeliners were strewn all over the place, and when he put his foot down gingerly in the clothes-covered floor a crack seemed to echo in the room. He scooped up the pieces of a lipstick case and winced. He was pretty sure he'd seen her wearing that particular shade of pinky-brown only the other day. She wouldn't be pleased when she found out he'd stood on it. And, he noticed, gotten it on her white linen skirt. She'd worn it recently, hence it's presence on the floor, when she had dragged them both out to dinner. That had gone wrong, when the food turned out to be still alive, carniverous and hungry. Jack rubbed ruefully at a bruise on his shoulder. He hadnt appreciated it when his meal had jumped up and tried to bite his nose off. It was only the Doctor shoving him off his chair that had saved him some serious facial scarring. He grinned, remembering the look on Rose's face.

Rose.

She wouldn't yell and hit him in the arm with something hard. She wouldn't kick him in the shins when he embarrassed her in front of the Doctor, or snicker in his direction when he pumped the stupid pump in the TARDIS control room and make innuendoes about him and his bedroom activities.

She wouldn't because she was dead. She was dead and she was gone and this mess scattered all over this small room in the TARDIS was all that was left of the blonde twenty-one year old Earth-girl that had repeatedly saved his life and made it simply more interesting.

Plus she was pretty and funny and outgoing and daring and smart.

What the hell was he going to do without her?

What was the Doctor going to do?

&

The music was loud and pounding with a heavy bass that made the alcohol in his glass ripple and shake. Jack sighed and leaned his elbows on the bar and downed the rest of the green liquid. He was working his way down the cocktail list, and he was currently on number five, and well on the way to being absolutely smashed.

Rose would laugh if she saw him now.

"Bar!" he called out, gesturing madly. The barkeep walked over, sensing a heavily tipping customer. "Number six."

"Coming up." The barkeep poured an orange and pink layered drink at least five layers high in a tall bottle-shaped glass and pushed it over to Jack, who grinned his thanks. The barkeep already had Jack's credit chip behind the bar, and was probably draining it for all it had, but that didn't particularly matter. Jack had borrowed the Doctor's sonic screwdriver and got himself a chip with unlimited credit, so he didn't care about being robbed, as long as the drinks kept coming.

The music paused briefly before starting up again. A monochrome girl in tight revealing black leather clothing came and slid onto the seat next to him.

"Hey there." she purred. "Wanna dance?" Jack shook his head and took a swallow.

"Actually, no honey. Find a guy a little more drunk, a little less miserable." He advised. She wrinkled her nose at the alcohol on his breath.

"You're drunk enough." She said, sliding out of the seat. He shrugged.

"Nah, don't think I can get drunk enough." He argued half-heartedly.

"Actually, Mira's right." Jack hung his head over his drink and ignored the new speaker. Probably another Carillion whore. The whole city was littered with the little thieves. "You've drunk more than enough. Barkeep! Can I get…Morbee juice, a pink drink of your choice and one of those nasty tar-like things you're increasingly fond of giving the drunks in this place." The barkeep nodded at her.

"Yep mother." He smiled at her and held out his hand. "Chip?" She handed it over and he nodded, and got back to pouring drinks. She slid into the chair next to him and Mira stood by her shoulder.

"So? Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"You're getting between me and my alcohol, that's what's wrong." He looked up blearily at her and knocked his drink over when he stood up to fast. He wavered, and Mira swiftly stood by him and kept him upright.

"I think you've had enough." The woman reiterated. "Now, Jack. Tell me what's wrong."

"I'm dreaming." He said wildly. Mira deposited him in his chair again and picked up the no doubt expensive pink drink the barkeep had set on the bar. She pushed the murky brown drink in Jack's direction and he looked at it disbelievingly. "I'm dreaming."

"I don't even want to know what dream of yours I feature in when I look like this." She laughed.

"You're dead."

"Well, hardly." Mira rolled her eyes. "What kind of moron are you?"

"Easy Mira." She cautioned. "He's drunk and therefore not exactly at his brightest."

"You're dead. You fell off the platform." Jack insisted, waving his arms around. Mira pinned them down.

"Drink up." The woman said. Mira leaned over and muttered something in her ear. She nodded. "Go on then. I'll be fine." Mira nodded and patted her distended stomach before slipping through the crowds and out the door. She looked over at Jack and his still-full glass. "I told you to drink that." She said sharply. He toyed with the glass. "Jack, drink that now or I leave." She stood, and Jack quickly downed the drink.

"Don't! Stay." He grabbed her hand and guided her back to the chair. The drink tasted horrible, and sat heavily in his stomach. She turned to the barkeep.

"Another tar, if you don't mind." She nodded at his empty glass and the barkeep nodded with a sympathetic look for Jack.

"The Missus found you eh?" he subsided under a sharp look from her. "Yes mother."

"Who are you?" Jack asked, grimacing at the drink that had been replaced in front of him.

"It's me, Rose. Drink it." She nodded at it.

"Rose-"

"Or I'm leaving." She threatened. He nodded and tossed it back, trying not to gag. When he set it down he felt a lot more sober, and a whole lot more confused. He looked Rose over and frowned.

"You look so…"

"Pregnant?" Rose volunteered. "If you say anything about whales I will throw this juice in your face and trust me, it stings." She grinned.

"You're…pregnant." He said, trying to keep his jaw from hitting the floor. Rose ran her hands over her pregnant stomach and smiled.

"Well done, Mr Observant." She teased. "Yes, I am."

"But you…died."

"Clearly not. I'm perfectly alive and healthy, although I'll be _so_ glad not to be pregnant anymore." She rolled her eyes. "You might not have said it, but I feel like a whale."

"You look…amazing." He said, still struggling to accept that the woman in front of him that looked like Rose and acted like Rose really was Rose. It hadnt even been forty-eight hours since she'd fallen from the platform and now she was sitting in front of him, heavily pregnant and looking significantly older.

"Liar. And what happened to your usual eloquence?"

"Um…less than two days ago I saw you die. I'm struggling to see you alive now."

"Which time was that?" Rose propped her elbow on the bar and rested her head in it.

"Malloran. You fell into a lava flow."

"Ah, that time. Yeah. I got about three feet above it, and my god that stuff was _hot_, but then I got picked up. It's all well and good, and I'll have you know I've nearly died several times since then." She rolled her eyes. "Mostly looking for Erin."

"Erin?"

"She's seven. Right little nightmare too, takes after her dad." Rose said fondly.

"Your…daughter?" Jack asked in shock. "And the dad? It's not-"

"Not you." Rose laughed. "No."

"The Doctor?" he asked incredulously.

"You neednt look quite so surprised." She chided. "He's the father, yes." A familiar ring tone broke into the conversation and Rose smiled apologetically as she answered it. "Mira? Okay, yeah. I'll meet you. No? Put her on the line." There was a pause. "Erin? Hey, you wanna meet Jack? Yeah, Uncle Jack. Time travel sweetie, remember? This is when he's still okay."

"What do you mean, still okay?" Jack asked hurriedly. Rose shook her head at him and hung up.

"Barkeep? Our chips please." She said, holding out her hand imperiously. The barkeep handed them over and she smiled. "Cheers." She took Jack's hand and led him out of the bar and into the street where Mira was waiting, a small girl holding tight onto her hand.

"Mummy!" the girl, Erin, cried out, rushing forward. "Me and Daddy couldn't find you."

"Where is Daddy?" Rose asked. Erin shrugged.

"Gone back to the TARDIS. Uncle Jack!" She launched herself at him and he only just caught her. She hugged him tight and kissed his cheek, then rested her head on his shoulder. Jack stared over her shoulder at Rose, who stood looking at them fondly.

"Rose? We really should be going. The Doctor wanted to leave as soon as the TARDIS refuelled and it's ready." Mira put in. Rose nodded.

"Come on, Erin. Jack."

Jack slowly put the little girl on her feet, and looked down at her. She had blonde hair and green eyes, and the Doctor's huge grin. Rose's ears and nose though.

"You're leaving now then?" he asked tentatively. "You need to see the Doctor, tell him you're still alive." Rose shook her head.

"No. He can't know. You have to find me." She shrugged, and took Erin's hand. "Sorry. I shouldn't have come here at all, except that I wanted you to know I was still alive, that I was okay."

"How'd you know I'd be here?" Jack asked.

"You told me, when you and the Doctor found me. When the Doctor landed here for refuelling this morning, it seemed now was the time. Anyway. Don't tell him you saw me, it'll only upset him. Go to the Seventh Step, that's where you'll find out where I've gone."

"You'll be there?"

"No. But it leads you to me."

"Why cant you tell me where you'll be?" Jack demanded.

"Because I keep moving! And anyway, if you get there too early I'll probably not go at all. Trust me, it's better this way. Good luck! See you later." She turned away and started leading Erin in the opposite direction. Erin looked back over her shoulder and grinned.

"Bye Uncle Jack!" She called out. Jack watched until they were out of sight, and then headed resolutely back to the TARDIS.

Where the bleeding hell was the Seventh Step?

&

The Seventh Step was a commerce satellite. Floating above above the historical museum planet Acane, it was the planetary gift shop. And was full of bad quality junk.

Jack wrinkled his nose, looking around. When he'd discovered that the Seventh Step was basically a large shopping centre, he'd taken it upon himself to go grocery shopping, seeing as it appeared the Doctor didn't need to eat, and wasn't inclined to even leave his room, let alone go shopping.

The Doctor hadnt shown his face since Rose had fallen off the platform, and Jack was finding it increasingly hard not to tell him that Rose was in fact alive, only missing. It would be nice to simply see the Doctor, but his door was locked and he didn't answer when Jack knocked. However, sensing that Jack was struggling to control their destinations, the TARDIS was being cooperative, which is more than Jack could say for it under the Doctor's control. But he suspected the Doctor preferred it that way anyway.

Bringing himself to the present, Jack looked around again. Somewhere there was a clue, or something as to Rose's whereabouts. He stared around, keeping an eye out for any likely source of food, as well.

"Jack? Hey." He jumped and spun, and saw Rose standing in front of him. "How are you?"

"Rose!" he swept her up into a huge hug and she laughed.

"Easy there, mate. I'm not your Rose, I'm Rose from about two years ahead of you." She explained. He reluctantly released her.

"Oh." He said, disappointed.

"It's okay luv. Hey, you need to go food shopping, right? Let's go. You're not going to find anything on this side of the satellite, I'll tell you that. This is the tourist area. All the native stuff is on the other side." She took his hand and led him through the maze-like satellite to an area set up like a market. She guided him around, dumping different foods in his arms, and he followed her like a zombie, almost unbelieving. This was getting ridiculous. All these different Roses, just dropping in to give him a heart attack, tell him where to find the next one, when all he wanted was the final destination, his Rose's location.

A flash broke into his thoughts and he focused and found he had been staring at Rose, who was just lowering her camera phone.

"You'll thank me for that later." She promised.

"Where's Rose?" he demanded. She grew quiet.

"I don't know. But…look, you see him?" She pointed to a green skinned alien who was striding purposefully through the market. "Follow him. Find his ship and follow it." She turned to him. "Well, go on then!"

"Hands are slightly full." He nodded at the armful of food he carried. Rose quickly took it off him.

"Look, I'll sort this lot and drop it off at the TARDIS, you follow him."

"But-"

"I'll watch out for the Doctor, no worries." She winked. "Just get a move on." Jack nodded and shot off, following the green-skinner person. He glanced back once and saw her watching him, and he waved, before continuing on.

Rose turned away, and headed quickly for Jack's TARDIS. It wasn't hard to find, in the tourist area there was only one police call box. She quickly turned her key in the lock and slipped inside, putting the groceries on the floor just inside the door. The TARDIS shuddered slightly, and Rose put her fingers to her lips.

"Shh. I'm not here properly yet. Just…help Jack, eh? He's trying to find me." The TARDIS shuddered slightly again and she smiled and patted the door. "Atta girl."

And then she was gone.

&

The green-skinned alien went straight to the shuttle docks just as Rose had implied, and Jack caught a glance of the vehicle and noted it's colour, mauve – who had a mauve vehicle? That was just bound to get you picked up, and type – a Marillion trader – which meant smuggler. Jack rolled his eyes. How in all the universe had Rose gotten mixed up with someone with a Marillion trading-ship? He grabbed a passing official, recognisable by the badge on the scarlet robes.

"Hey! Where's the Marillion trader going?" he asked. The official consulted the touch-pad in his hand.

"Morpeth. Any bookings should be made at the main desk." The official pointed to a large table where a very bored looking triped sat. Jack nodded.

"Thanks." He spun and headed back for the TARDIS. He slipped inside and found the Doctor underneath the control column, fiddling with low-tech tools.

"You!" the Doctor snarled as Jack shut the door behind him. "Where's my sonic screwdriver?"

"Here." Jack took it out of his jacket pocket as he passed the Doctor. "You're welcome."

"Why are we here?" The Doctor demanded.

"We needed to stock up on food." Jack explained. "You may not need to eat but I do." The Doctor turned away sullenly and Jack slipped away down the corridor, heading for his room. He paused, as always, by Rose's door, and stuck his head inside. The room was somewhat tidier than it had been previously, and there was a dent in the pillow. Jack strained to sense something of Rose in the room and found nothing.

"Hey! What are you doing?" The Doctor demanded, pulling Jack away from the door. Jack searched his face and saw the tear-tracks, faded, but there.

"Remembering her. Like you." Jack said softly. "I miss her too."

"Leave her room alone. She wouldn't want anything changed." The Doctor said flatly. Jack frowned and opened his mouth to retort, then closed it. He knew Rose was alive. The Doctor didn't have that reassurance.

"No. But she wouldn't want you to be like this, either." Jack murmured. The Doctor stared disbelievingly at Jack, then reached past him and pulled the door shut, before turning and going back to the control room. Jack sighed, looked at Rose's door, then turned away and headed to his own room.

Inside he opened the tiny computer he kept under the bed and plugged it in to the TARDIS. When she recognised him, he smiled.

"Play Rose." He said softly, as he always did. A short video started, one Rose hadnt realised he'd filmed.

_It was her prancing around the control room of the TARDIS with the Doctor. She was wearing a forty-foot long scarf woven in bright colours. The Doctor released her and she continued her skipping and the Doctor stood back and watched her, arms folded, a grin on his face, though his eyes were serious._

"_Hey, Rose! Say something intelligent." Jack said._

"_Oi! What are you implying, mate?" She demanded with a grin. "I'm always intelligent. You're just not always smart enough to follow me." Laughter from all three._

"_Never said you weren't intelligent." He defended. She advanced on him, brandishing on end of the long scarf, and the Doctor's grin stretched. _

"_Better grovel, mate." He advised. Jack sighed._

"_Oh, beautious Rose," he began with a terribly fake english accent, "who art most intelligent, most amusing, most-"_

"_You laugh at me now, eh?" she demanded, and clobbered him with the scarf. _

The film ended.

Jack sat back and sighed, looking at the blank screen. He changed the program, to a simple text program, one he had taken to using to communicate with the TARDIS. It was easier than talking, especially when the Doctor was around. Since Rose had gone, the Doctor had become even more possessive of the TARDIS, as though she would leave him too.

/TARDIS/

Jack

/Hows the Doctor doing/

He's mourning. But she came on board today. Why didn't she stay?

/That was a Rose from the future. She's still alive, like I said./

Where do we have to go next? the TARDIS asked.

/Morpeth../ Jack typed. /She told me to follow a smuggling ship heading for Morpeth./

What kind of ship is it? the TARDIS asked, preparing herself for travel even as she asked the question.

/A mauve Marillion trading-ship./ Jack replied.

Like the one that has just left the space-port? the TARDIS flicked up a picture of the green man's ship.

/That's the one! We need to follow it/ Jack exclaimed.

Of course we do, it's mauve. The TARDIS replied, and Jack rolled his eyes as the TARDIS began to shudder as it got itself moving. There were shouts from the control room as the TARDIS ignored the Doctor's attempts to stop her moving. He's in a foul mood, you might want to avoid him. he's coming your way. she warned.

/Thanks./ Jack shut down the mini-computer and shoved it under his bed and headed into his bathroom, pulling off his shirt.

"Jack!" The Doctor yelled as he walked uninvited into Jack's room. Jack stuck his head around the bathroom door.

"Yep?" he smiled.

"What did you do?" The Doctor demanded. "The TARDIS shouldn't be travelling!"

"I didn't do anything." Jack lied. "And anyway, why not?"

"Because if she's moving spontaneously, there's no guessing where she'll end up." The Doctor spat, as though it were the most obvious thing imaginable. Jack shrugged.

"Well, when we get there we can sort it out. It's not like we had a planned destination, is it?" the Doctor was silent. "We did? Where?"

"Earth. I have to tell Jackie I lost her." The Doctor said quietly. Jack didn't reply. "Which is why I don't want to go speeding off after-" he paused and turned and headed back to the control room. Jack sighed and returned to getting ready for a shower.

&

When Jack returned to the control, the Doctor was underneath the control column, fiddling with something using his sonic screwdriver. The Doctor looked up when Jack came in, then went back to his work.

"Any luck?" Jack asked.

"She's not answering." The Doctor said, his voice slightly distorted under the control column.

"She's following a mauve ship. Maybe that's why she's not answering." Jack suggested. The Doctor climbed out from under the control column and looked in the screen.

"There's no mauve ship." He said, throwing a disdainful look in Jack's direction. The TARDIS obligingly sped up and the mauve ship came into view before disappearing again.

"Yeah there is." Jack said unnecessarily. The Doctor sent him a dirty look but didn't reply, simply watched the screen.

"No. We're not following it to Morpeth." The Doctor said, throwing switches and twisting dials.

"Why not? What do you have against Morpeth?" Jack asked with a grin.

"It's a safehaven for slavers and smugglers. The only thing you'll find there are slave markets, fixed gambling and illegal goods." The Doctor explained. Jack was surprised, he hadnt known that. "Which is why we're not going there."

"She's not replying." Jack observed.

"I can see that." The Doctor snapped. The mauve ship disappeared and shortly after the TARDIS bumped to a stop, the shuddering fading away.

"We're here." Jack commented.

"So now we can leave." The Doctor groused. Jack put a hand on the TARDIS and she shuddered slightly. He nodded.

"Well, I'm going for a look around. You coming?"

"What is it with you? I've told you this planet is just a worthless piece of rock filled with worthless stupid people! Why do you want to go?" the Doctor snarled.

"Have a look around." Jack answered with a shrug.

"Well, if you're so keen, why don't you just stay there!" the Doctor turned his back and Jack sighed, stepping out of the TARDIS into the bright sunlight. He was on the outskirts of a market place, full of laughing chattering people, and the noise and light and warmth was a welcome change from the cold isolation of the TARDIS.

He started weaving his way through the people, not sure where he was going but wandering anyway. Just being away from the heavy sadness in the TARDIS cheered him up and he found himself whistling under his breath. He kept his eyes open for Rose, or an incarnation of Rose, or any sign of Rose at all. She had told him to follow this ship, after all.

Someone ran straight into him at speed and he fell back a few paces. The kid picked himself off and tried to shoot off, but Jack grabbed his hand.

"Hey!" he exclaimed. "Don't you have manners on this planet?"

"Please Sahib, let me go. They'll kill me!" Jack looked up and saw several large angry looking men approaching. It didn't look like they'd seen the kid yet, but they were brandishing swords and Jack didn't want to be responsible if they did. He released the kid, who stared at him in amazement for dashing off, ducking and dodging through the crowds. Jack decided that now might be an equally good time to make himself scarce and quickly surrounded himself with people, trying to duck out of sight of the angry persuers.

It didn't work quite as well as he'd hoped as they soon began to follow him. he had soon gotten himself hopelessly lost in the labrynth-esque town, and was just looking to avoid the men who, unfortunately, appeared to know the town rather well and kept cutting him off.

"In here, Sahib." A hand grabbed his wrist and yanked him inside one of the buildings that lined the streets and shut the door firmly behind him. When Jack's eyes had adjusted, he found himself in what appeared to be the only room on the house, being watched by several children, including the one he had released, and an older woman. He smiled.

"What are you doing here?" The woman asked. "You're not local…but you're not a trader, either. They never come down to the lower markets."

"I'm looking for a friend." He said simply.

"What does he look like?" she asked. She sat on a cushion on the floor and gestured for him to do the same. He did so, folding himself awkwardly on the floor.

"He's a she." He began. "She's medium height, blonde, pale-skinned."

"And she's your wife?" the woman interrupted.

"My…partner." Jack said. The woman looked saddened.

"Her name…very strange name."

"Rose?" Jack sat forward. "You've seen her?"

"Oh, yes." The woman laughed. "She is most strange-looking but has been paraded around the town. She's the Count's newest wife."

"His wife?" Jack asked. "But she can't be."

"She was brought here on a slaver and sold to the Count. So she can be." The woman shrugged, and sat watching Jack for a moment. It unnerved him.

"What?"

"If you are to get her back, you'll have to be very careful." She warned. Jack nodded.

"I know that."

"Brec will show you the Count's palace, and will help you as you need it." Jack looked over and the boy he had saved nodded. "He owes you a life-debt, so you need only ask and it will be done."

"No, that wont be necessary, I-"

"Sahib, if I might be honest, you clearly do not know the city very well, and you have slaver guards after you. Brec knows the city better than anyone in this room, and he will help you find your partner." Jack nodded slowly.

"Alright." He agreed. "Do you know where she is now?"

"Probably the palace." Brec chimed in. "I can show you Sahib."

"Okay." He stood, and looked down at the woman. "Thank you." He paused. "I'll look after Brec." She smiled.

"Thank you. Good luck and blessings." She smiled again, and he nodded.

"Thanks."

"Come on Sahib." Brec stood at a curtain at the back of the room. "We'll go around the back and then to the palace." Jack nodded and followed him through the curtain. They found themselves into a courtyard, and Brec led Jack through it and then into the streets.

Brec's mother, or whoever she was, was certainly right. Brec darted through the streets and clearly knew them better than the back of his hand, and soon they were standing in the shadow of a tall stone building.

"That's the palace." Brec whispered. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

Brec darted over to a crowd of street urchins sitting further down the wall, and talked with them for a few minutes before darting back to Jack.

"She's there alright." Brec informed him. "That's her window there." he pointed up to the third floor, where a balcony was hung with fluttery white curtains. "She comes out most evenings." Even as Brec spoke guards starting clearing the crowds of beggars that lined the walls, and Jack and Brec slipped to the shadows made by the opposite buildings to wait. "Just watch." Brec whispered, and Jack did.

Within a few moments the curtains parted and two guards stepped onto the balcony. They were followed by someone swathed in veils and fabrics, who was then followed by two more guards.

"Is that her then?" Brec asked. Jack shook his head.

"I can't tell." He watched as the woman, whoever she was, dismissed the guards with a wave of her hand and watched imperiously until they left. Then she quickly began unwrapping the yards of fabric. "It _is_ her." Jack breathed. Sure enough, though she didn't remove all the veils and fabric, her gilt hair caught the light beneath the blue-green veil, and her brown eyes were revealed over a matching face veil that covered everything from the bridge of her nose downwards. Her arms and shoulders were covered in a cloak that reached the floor.

"That your partner?" Brec asked. Jack nodded.

"That's her." Brec grinned, and Jack had the feeling that Brec saw this as a kind of adventure.

"Stay here, be right back." Brec promised, before dashing off. Jack was about to call out but hung back, fearing to draw attention to Brec, who had already disappeared somewhere. Jack saw him reappear and fought to keep his jaw from hitting the floor.

Brec was climbing the trellis to Rose's bedroom.

Jack watched as Brec appeared on the balcony and captured Rose's attention. Rose and Brec spoke quietly for a moment, and Brec gestured. Rose looked up and Jack raised his hand slightly. She nodded, then turned back to Brec, who nodded in response to her before slipping off the balcony and disappearing.

Jack watched her expertly rewrap herself in the scarves before slipping through the curtains back into the building. He continued to watch for Brec, who didn't appear.

"Where's he gone?" Jack muttered.

"I'm behind you." Brec volunteered Jack spun.

"What you do that for?" he demanded. Brec shrugged.

"Guards were watching. Come on." He took Jack's hand and tugged him away from the courtyard, down into the depths of the city, towards Brec's house. They slipped into the room, and Brec's mother met them. Jack suddenly realised something rather embarassing.

"I'm sorry, I don't even know your name." Jack said with a sheepish smile.

"Lura." She said succintly. "Did you find your woman?"

"I found her. You were right, she is the Count's new lady." Jack said.

"Ah. Well, do you know you are to get her away?"

"The parade." Brec said. Lura turned to him.

"What?"

"During the parade, she's in a closed litter. None of the public will see her, so we've just got to get her out then."

"How do you propose to do that?" Jack asked, his heart sinking. A parade meant guards, and lots of them.

"Easy. We'll use the sewers." Brec grinned, and Jack frowned.

"What!"

&

The parade was long, noisy and full of guards, as Jack had suspected. There were also dancing girls, a marching band, flower girls, and finally, the gold one-person litter which Rose was to be riding in. supposedly. Jack stood in the sewers and looked up at the large square manhole over which the procession was passing. He looked down at Brec beside him.

"When?"

"Any second now." Brec said. He paused, then grinned. "Now. You know the plan?"

"I know it. Be careful." Jack lifted Brec into the air, and Brec shifted the manhole cover away, and slipped up. A few minutes later, a heavily swathed form fell through the hole. Jack caught Rose's hand, and they were off, racing thorugh the sewers.

&

For Rose, the procession that was her first, and hopefully her last, introduction to public life as the Count's wife. It was fun, in the sense that she had the pervading sense of excitement and importance because all this fuss was about her, but she'd much rather be back with the Doctor and Jack. And out of these completely swamping miles of cloth! The litter halted suddenly, and Rose threw out a hand to brace herself against the wall ahead of her. There was a veiled window, and she could see a commotion up front.

"Memsahib?" A small boy poked his head into the litter. He had slipped between the floor-length curtain and the edge of the litter. "Hurry." Rose grabbed her robes, and the boy took her hand. She could see a huge hole in the street below them. "Jump!"

"What?" she looked at him in shock.

"Jump!" Rose took a deep breath and slipped past him, falling through the hole. Brec shut the manhole and scrambled into the litter, and started using a stolen knife to punch a hole through the golden ceiling. The soft gold bent and gave under the blade, and he soon had made a hole just big enough for him to slip through. He did so, and bent the metal back into place, staying low on top of the litter, so he wasn't see. He grabbed the next washing line that stretched across the road, and scrambled away, lithe as a monkey.

Rose felt her fall halted by a pair of strong hands. Temporarily blinded by the change from bright sunlight to dark sewer, she blinked a few times, and saw Jack's face swim into focus.

"Jack?" he grinned. "Where's the Doctor?"

"With the TARDIS" Jack put her down and grabbed her hand, pulling her into a run along the narrow pathways that ran parallel to the deep channel of murky water. Her feet, in silk slippers, were soon soaked and she wrinkled her nose, keeping a tight hold on Jack's hand.

"Why didn't he come?" She asked breathlessly as they skidded to a halt at a junction, watching as Jack looked both ways before turning left. "You do know where you're going, don't you?"

"Sure I do. Just checking for guards." Jack flashed her a blinding smile. "As for the Doctor…well, frankly, he believes you're dead. So I had to do this mission solo."

"Why havent you told him I'm alive?" She demanded.

"Because he aint here. Now hush so I can concentrate." They took two more left turns, three rights and another left before Jack scrambled up onto a conveniently placed pile of rocks and pushed aside a manhole cover and peered out, looking both ways again before scrambling out and holding his hand back down to Rose to lift her out.

They came out into the bright sunlight, blinking and squinting, standing in a small dusty courtyard. The sound of chaos surrounded them.

"Quick, in here." Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her into Lura's house. She looked up from where she had been anxiously watching the window.

"You found her! Ah, but they're all looking for you." Brec popped his head out from under the table, and Lura kicked him and he retreated. "Here." She pushed aside the table and the rug beneath it and revealed a trap door in the floor. She opened it and Brec scrambled down into it. "First Jack, then the countess. Go!" Jack lowered himself down and Rose followed. The light was cut out as Lura shut the trap door and put the rug and table back over it.

"Not safe yet Sahib. In here." Brec went to where a large rock stuck out of the rough-hewn wall, and pulled it open. It swung open like a door, and behind it was a bolthole, where the three of them could just about fit provided they lay still and pictured themselves thinner. Rose sighed and slid in, before Jack followed her.

"Keep your hands where I can see them." She teased and he winked at her.

"That takes away all the fun. Plus you're so covered in fabric you wouldn't feel it even if they did wander." He retorted.

"Sahib! Hurry. They will check down here." Brec urged, hopping from one foot to another. Jack did as he was told, sliding in behind Rose. Brec hastily followed, lying in front of Rose and as far away as he could manage, before swinging the rock-door shut and latching it in the dark.

The three of them lay perfectly still and quiet and didn't talk, but Rose felt the air getting hot and losing oxygen regardless. She consciously slowed her breathing, and felt Jack's hand on her waist.

"We've missed you." He whispered.

"Save it for when we have more oxygen." She replied. "I've missed you too."

"There's nothing down there! Few dried stores is all!" They could hear Lura above them, and then suddenly the sound of guards talking got louder as they entered the cellar.

"Solid rock." One of them commented.

"The Count's not going to be pleased if we cant find his wife. He payed good money for her." Another commented. Jack's hand tightened on Rose's hip, and she tipped her head back so it rested under his chin. It was just good to feel someone familiar again. After weeks of being touched and handled and inspected like a piece of meat by complete strangers, Rose had almost wished she had hit the lava. But now…Jack was here to rescue her, and the Doctor…

The Doctor wasn't here. Neither he or the TARDIS were. So just what was Jack planning on doing? He had rescued her, sure. But now they were both fugitives – him because he had stolen the Count's property, and her because now the Count couldn't be sure she was 'pure'. Not that she was, actually. Not in his way of thinking, but she had played the simpering virgin for the last two weeks so his matrons wouldn't check.

And she saw what he did to impure slaves: beat them to death to remove their impurity from his household.

So what was Jack planning on doing? Rose opened her mouth to ask then shut it again. The guards were leaving the cellar, but the tiny bolt-hole was still losing oxygen fast, and Rose didn't know how long Brec was planning on keeping them in there.

Not too long, fortunately. As soon as the sound of the guards had died completely, Brec cracked the stone door opened and the rush of cool oxygen made all three of them gasp thankfully. Rose twisted her head to look up at Jack.

"If the Doctor and the TARDIS arent here, just how were you planning on getting us off-planet?" she whispered.

"I'll call the TARDIS and she'll pick us up. Don't worry." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Are you alright? Injured? Did they do anything to you?"

"I've been poked and prodded and inspected like a slab of meat, but other than that I'm fine. Three days later and I wouldn't be as pure as these people like their fiancees to be, so thanks for the rescue."

"Not a problem."

"So…if the Doctor thinks I'm dead, and has left you here, how are you going to get the TARDIS to pick us up?" Rose queried

"Simple. I'll call her. We have an understanding. She knows as well as I do that you're alive, even if the Doctor wont accept it, so she wants you back. She dropped me here, and then the Doctor took off with her because he was pissed because she was doing what I told her not what he said. So I'll call her, she'll pick us up, and then you get to break it to the Doctor that you're still alive." He grinned and she nodded.

"Right."

"I'll check if its safe, Sahib." Brec scrambled out of the bolthole and shut the door behind him, plunging them into darkness again.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Jack asked softly.

"I missed you." She said, shrugging in the darkness. "But other than that…I'll live."

The door swung open again and Brec nodded.

"They've gone Sahib. Come on." Brec helped Rose out of the hole and Jack followed. Brec closed the door and came over to where Jack had opened his mini-computer, and was calling the TARDIS. She responded after a few moments, and he snapped the computer shut.

"She's on her way." He said to Rose with a smile, and she smiled back.

They came out of the cellar, and Lura bowed to Rose.

"Countess." She murmured. Rose hastily took her shoulders and stood her upright.

"Please, don't. I'm not really a Countess." She unwrapped a shawl and pulled off a heavy gold and sapphire-esque jeweled necklace. "Here, take this, with my thanks." Lura stared at the jewelery in Rose's outstretched hands.

"I couldn't." Lura stammered.

"Please." Rose entreated. "I really want you to have it." Lura nodded slowly and took the necklace, just as the familiar sound of the TARDIS came from outside. Rose smiled and took Jack's hand, who grinned at Brec.

"I'll see you later." He grinned and they slipped outside, only to run into about ten guards.

"The countess!" they cried, and Jack and Rose pressed themselves against the side of the building. The TARDIS was on the opposite side of the courtyard, less than five yards away.

"We cant run for it." Rose said, looking around frantically.

"Nope." Jack agreed. The TARDIS was so close! So close, yet so far.

"Look, I'll distract them, you run." Rose proposed. Jack looked at her.

"Are you insane? I risked my life to get you off this dustball, and now you're saying I should just drop you at the first sign of trouble?"

"Jack, it'll work!"

"And you'll be beaten to death." One of Brec's sisters chimed through the window.

"Oh, brilliant idea." Jack rolled his eyes, tightening his grip on Rose's hand. "Lets give yourself up to be beaten to death. There is a way around this, Rose! I know there is. I've seen you with kids for crying out loud, you don't die here!"

"Time's always in flux." Rose quoted. Then she stopped. "You've seen me with _kids_?"

"Well, one, and another on the way." Jack sighed. "I shouldn't have told you, just forget I said anything."

"Who's the father?" Rose pressed. Jack didn't answer, looking at the TARDIS. They needed a distraction.

"Any ideas?" he hissed at Brec's sister. "A bit of help would be fab." She disappeared. The guards advanced on Rose and Jack, and they shrunk back into the wall. One reached for Rose and her grip on Jack's hand tightened, when a shriek from the street distracted them.

"The prince! He's here! And…he's being attacked. Quick! Anyone! Help!" the guards looked at each other.

"Go look. I'll stay here. They're not going anywhere. There's only him." A guarded nodded at Jack, and all the others disappeared. Rose kicked the guard in the balls and Jack winced in sympathy even as they dashed for the TARDIS. Jack fumbled with his key, and Rose saw the guards coming back.

"Jack, hurry!" she urged. The door opened, and Jack pushed her inside before slipping inside himself and shutting the door firmly.

"Let's get out of here sweetheart." Jack said, patting the TARDIS. The TARDIS powered up and Jack spun a few dials and got them into a time-space loop, before turning back to Rose.

He stared, and she smiled almost shyly. She had gotten rid of of the robes that swathed her from head to toe, and was dressed in a floor length blue skirt with a metal jeweled belt hung on her hips, and a cropped matching blue top with a wide slashed neckline. Around her throat was a heavy silver collar studded with blue stones, which matched the silver bracelets that jangled around her wrists, and the circlet on her brow. Her blonde hair hung over her shoulders and she bit her lip.

"Wow." Jack said. "You look amazing." She rolled her eyes.

"Shut up." She said, suppressing a smile.

"No, you do." He insisted. He glanced at the TARDIS. "Hey, where's the Doctor?" the TARDIS flashed up a plan, showing the Doctor in his rooms. "Thanks. Come on, you." He led Rose through the TARDIS, until they came to the Doctor's room. She raised her hand to knock, then dropped it. She turned to Jack, who was watching her expectantly. When he understood, he rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, you're _shy_? When have you ever been shy?" he knocked on the door and stepped back.

"Go away, Jack." The Doctor yelled. There was a pause and Jack grinned at Rose, then the door was jerked open. "How'd you get back on the-" he stopped, and stared at Rose, who smiled shyly up at him.

"Hi." She murmured. He continued to stare, and she looked worried. "Doctor?"

"Rose? But you're…dead." He whispered. Jack slunk off, but Rose didn't give him a second thought. She shook her head. "How?" She looked around.

"Can I come in?" She asked. He nodded and let her in. The spartan room was as painfully clean as it always was, and she perched on the edge of the bed.

"How did you survive? And get here? I saw you fall into the lava, until the flash." The Doctor insisted. Rose smiled.

"The flash was me being picked up by slav-I mean traders." She corrected herself quickly but saw that it had been too late.

"Slavers?" The Doctor demanded, pulling her upright and holding her at arms length, checking her over carefully. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but tired of being inspected." She chided. The Doctor released her and looked away. Rose paused, and then impulsively hugged the Doctor. "I've missed you." She whispered into his chest. He hugged her tight to him, refusing to let her go, breathing in the scent of her hair.

"Jack knew." The Doctor muttered. Rose looked up and smiled.

"Why else do you think he dragged you all over the universe?" she said brightly. The Doctor rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. "But he found me, and we're here, and it's safe and it's okay." She smiled at him, but he frowned.

"No. I'm taking you back to Earth." He said with finality, releasing her and stepping away. Rose stared.

"What! Why?"

"It's too dangerous. I've lost you too many times, I wont do it again. You'll be safe on Earth."

"Oh, yeah, like I was the time with the Slitheens, or the Nestene Consciousness. Or if Jimmy Stones gets out of jail and guts me like he said he would, or if I get mugged or shot or hit by a car-" Rose argued.

"Rose!" The Doctor interrupted and she fell silent. "You'll be far safer on Earth then you will roaming the galaxy with me and-"

She cut him off, crossing the room in two strides and pressing her lips to his, her hands framing his face. After a second he kissed her back, one hand on her hip drawing her closer the other on the back of her neck. His tongue slipped along her lip and she opened her mouth allowing him entry. Suddenly he backed away, standing and staring at her wide-eyed.

"Rose, no. You have to go back to Earth." He turned and headed for the door and she cut him off.

"I don't have to do anything! I'm not leaving you here, not now." She insisted, standing defiantly before him and putting her hands on his shoulders. "I just got you back." She whispered. "Don't make me leave you again."

His lips crashed down on hers again, his tongue in her mouth duelling with hers. Her arms twined around his neck and his cool hands on her bare sides held her tight against him. He broke apart for air, but held her close still.

"I can't lose you." He whispered raggedly.

"So don't." She implored, pressing her cheek against his. The cool stubble scratched her cheek and she smiled. "Don't make me go away." His lips found hers again, gentler this time, softly exploring. He walked her backwards and she hit the bed. She climbed onto it and he lay her out, leaning over her, his lips caressing her lips and eyes and cheeks as his hands followed the contours of her body.

"Love you." She whispered. He paused, her words echoing in his mind accompanied by the frantic memory of her falling towards a boiling red sea. "I do." Her hands caught his face and she looked him in the eye. "I love you."

"I know." He kissed her, then pulled back. "I love you too."

&

Jack sat in his room, the open computer next to him. The TARDIS was happy that the Doctor and Rose were happy, and Jack was just happy to have everyone still alive on the TARDIS.

"A victory drink is called for, I think." He declared to himself, alone in his room. Almost immediately a martini appeared on the bedside table. "Special service, eh?" he asked, grinning at the walls of his room. The computer beeped, and he looked down to the TARDIS' reply and snorted.

Don't get used to it flyboy.

All was good with the world.

End.


End file.
